Harry Potter and the Beginning of the End
by brealeylou
Summary: After Harry kills Voldemort, what happens after his death?
1. Chapter 1 : The End

_So, I don't own Harry Potter, obviously._

_Go on, read!_

* * *

Harry said goodbye to Ron and Hermione and turned to enter the Great Hall. He walked deadly past the students and their families as they mourned their losses. To his right, he saw the Weasleys. Ginny. He thought it best not to disturb her.

To his left were the Malfoys, huddled together at the Slytherin table. Lucius was looking around the Hall at everyone who had just suffered through the ordeal that had finally ended. He then looked down at his son, who was staring at the floor.

Harry continued all the way to the professor's table, where he found Professor McGonagall.

"Professor?" it came out as a whisper.

She looked up slowly. "Yes, Potter?"

"Here." He held out the Elder Wand. "It should be put back in its rightful place. With Dumbledore."

"Oh, yes. Thank you," she replied absentmindedly. She took the wand and put it in her robe next to her own.

"Where is he?" Harry asked quietly.

McGonagall looked taken aback. "Voldemort? In the Trophy Room. You can't go in there-"

"I wasn't," Harry interrupted her. He turned around and left to find Ron and Hermione again.

He went up to the common room to find the Fat Lady gone as well as her portrait gaping open. He climbed through to see his friends sitting together on the floor in front of the crackling fireplace. Hermione's arm was resting on Ron's shoulder with Ron's arms around her.

"It's finally over," Harry said.

Hermione looked up at him with tears in her eyes. Ron smiled weakly.

"You did it, mate," Ron said to Harry.

"We did it," Harry corrected him.

Then Neville walked in, still carrying the sword of Godric Gryffindor. "Hey guys," he let out a long, exasperated sigh.

"Neville," Harry said, a huge grin appearing on his face. He walked over to Neville, giving him a bear hug and congratulating him. "Neville, mate, you're the best. You really saved our asses."

Neville pulled away and looked Harry straight in the eyes. "I know." He chuckled.

They all walked down to the kitchens to see if the elves were back. They were all there, even an elf that had never been there before. Next to Kreacher, handing out mittens and sweaters, was a boy with bleach-blond hair and silvery eyes.

"Draco?"


	2. Chapter 2 : A New Life

Draco looked up and flipped around, startled by the sound of his name. "What are you doing here?" he demanded.

"We were going to ask you the same thing," Harry retorted.

"I-Well-I was-"

"Spit it out."

"I wanted to apologize to the elves since I'll never get to apologize to Dobby."

Hermione burst into tears again and ran forward to hug Draco.

"Wha-?" he yelped. He looked to Harry, Ron, and Neville for help, then down at Hermione. He put his hand on her shoulder to sort of hug her back.

Hermione let him go as Harry stepped forward. He put his hand on Draco's shoulder.

"Thanks," Harry said, looking him straight in the eye.

"Yeah," Draco said. "Sure."

"What about your parents?" Neville asked Draco suddenly.

"What about them?" Draco questioned him, confused.

"Are they on your side? Do they agree with you?"

"Yes, I think. My father regrets the choices he made regarding-" he hesitated. "-Voldemort, the war, and even your sister, Weasley."

Ron grimaced. "Look Malfoy, I'm definitely not saying I forgive you, but we all appreciate your decision to try for some remorse."

Harry flinched at the word. _Remorse. _Just hours ago, he had been trying to convince Voldemort to attempt the same.

QUOTE

"Harry?" Hermione kneeled next to him, placing her hand on his shoulder.

"What? Oh." His vision came back to him as he realized he had dropped to his knees. He was sweating.

As he stood up, Hermione suggested, "Come on, Harry, let's get you some food. I bet you're starving."

Harry nodded slowly and she helped him over to Kreacher, who already had a piping hot bowl of soup ready for him to wolf down.

He let the hot, seasoned liquid chase the beans and potatoes down his throat, taking in the wonderful, long-awaited warmth, and relishing the full feeling in his stomach once he was finished.

"Thanks a heap, Kreacher."

"Yes, Master Potter," Kreacher grinned at both Harry and Ron. He even managed a weak, crooked smile at Hermione, much to her surprise and delight.

"Will Master Potter require anything else?" Kreacher asked.

"No, that's alright, Kreacher. You've done brilliantly. Thanks again," Harry answered. He looked at Malfoy. "Where are your parents?"

"They're still in the Great Hall with everyone else. Why?"

"I need to speak with Lucius."

* * *

Draco took Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville to the Great Hall, but before they could go inside, they were stopped by Luna Lovegood.

"Oh, hello you... five," she said wearily, counting each of them. "Draco, I don't remember you being one of our friends," she told him, puzzled by his presence.

"Er, well, I'm trying to make up for my mistakes. I see now that my father and aunt were fighting a losing battle," he answered, once again staring awkwardly at the stone floor.

Luna stepped closer to him and kissed him lightly on the cheek, Neville's face secretly but brightly reddening behind everyone. "I'm proud of you, Draco."

"I'm still glad I punched the two-faced bastard..." Ron muttered before Harry elbowed him in the stomach. "Ow!"

"Thanks, guys," Draco said as he beckoned them into the Great Hall.

The doors flew open, and Harry's eyes scanned the room for the Malfoys.

There. Sitting at the Slytherin table as if they hadn't moved since Harry saw them the first time.

"Mr. Malfoy," Harry called his name loudly.

Lucius jumped. "What?" He saw his son with Harry Potter, the blood-traitor, the mudblood, the daughter of that oddity Lovegood, and the one that had killed Nagini. "Well, Mr. Potter. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Mr. Malfoy, I hear you agree with your son's newfound alliance with us. Is this true?"

"Yes, Potter," Malfoy spat at him. "I'm willing to repent for my actions. I'm on your side now, although I'm not sure there are sides now that the Dark Lord is dead."

"Voldemort's followers..." Harry put quite a lot of emphasis on You-Know-Who's name, causing Lucius to flinch. "Where do they stand?"

"That is undetermined at the moment. There is always the possibility that some will meet to continue plotting not only your death, Potter, but also the destruction of the entire muggle population."

"Well, we're just going to have to make sure that doesn't happen," Neville interjected.

Harry looked at him and nodded. Luna took his hand. "You're very brave, you know."

Neville's cheeks grew even redder than before. "Th-thanks, Luna."

"Yes, yes, this is all very touching," Lucius grumbled. "But would you children mind leaving my wife and I to ourselves?"

"Yes, father," Draco obliged. "Er, shall we go into Hogsmeade?"

"Oh, that's a splendid idea!" Luna agreed rather loudly. She hooked her arm in Neville's, whose eyes widened to at least twice their normal size.

Harry took one last look at Ginny and the rest of the Weasleys, and followed the group outside.

* * *

_Author's note:_

_Should my chapters be longer?_


	3. Chapter 3 : The Hog's Head

The group made their way down to Hogsmeade where they were stopped by Aberforth Dumbledore.

"Kids," he greeted them gruffly. "I hope you all survived the battle alright?"

"Yeah, Ab, thanks. You?" Harry asked.

"I'm doing okay. How about you kids come on down to the Hog's Head for some nourishment?"

"Sure, Ab."

They all walked down the street and Ab unlocked the door to his little pub. Inside, there was a hooded figure, with his back to the door, huddled over the counter.

"_Expelliarmus_!" somebody yelled from behind them as the figure whipped out his wand and spun around to face them. The spell was so powerful that it blasted the man backwards over the bar.

Harry flipped around to see who had fired the spell. He grinned widely. "Hagrid!"

"Hey, Harry! Ron, Hermione, Luna, Neville... Draco?"

"Yes, Draco's a friend of ours now," Luna explained.

"Oh. Alrigh'."

"So, Hagrid, what are you doing here?" Ron asked him.

"Well, I was on my way to the Three Broomsticks to see if Rosmerta was back when I noticed the bunch of yeh. So, I decided to join yeh. Lucky I did, really. Hey, Ab," he called over to the old wizard, waving.

Aberforth grunted in return as he levitated the cups out of the cupboard. As he got out the drinks, Harry waved his wand over the unconscious hooded man, and chains appeared on his body, binding him and making him unable to move.

Aberforth poured wine for himself, butterbeer for Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Draco, _ tea for Luna-he struggled to understand the directions that were pouring out of Luna's mouth-and a pint-sized bucket of firewhisky for Hagrid.

Hagrid mumbled a "thank you," and began gulping down his drink. He paused for a moment to whisper to Harry: "So, you're sure about Malfoy?"

"Yeah, Hagrid, I am. Draco was being sincere when he apologized," Harry assured him.

Hagrid glanced quickly at Draco, and then looked back at Harry. "How 'bout the rest o' them?"

"Well, I can't say that Ron's too keen about the idea, but he'll come around."

"Alrigh'," Hagrid dropped the subject and leaned over to shake Draco's hand.

"I-uh-" Draco started.

"Oh, Draco, jus' shuddup and shake my hand," Hagrid ordered him.

Draco stopped stuttering and reached his arm out to grab Hagrid's hand when he heard a low moan from behind the counter. "The Death Eater!"

He jumped up and pinned the man against the wall. The man was just barely awake.

"It's Thicknesse! Why is _he_ here?" Draco demanded.

"Yeah, 'Minister,' why are you here?" Harry asked him, moving closer as he spoke.

_Silence._

"Answer him," Draco growled, pressing his wand against the minister's throat.

"Alright, alright, I'll talk," Pius pleaded. "When I was in my office at the Ministry of Magic, I had a vision. A very dark and powerful wizard will be revealed, one even more powerful than Voldemort. I don't know who he was, however, as his face was hidden. But he looked to be about your age. So, I came here to find this new "dark lord" and pledge my allegiance to him."

"I see," Harry said. "Well, I suppose that means you'll be going to Azkaban for treason against the wizarding community and the Ministry, supporting Lord Voldemort, and for practicing dark magic."

"Ah, yes. I am assuming that you think I will come quietly, but you are sadly mistaken." With that, Pius attempted to disapparate with the chains still surrounding his body, but not before Aberforth managed to leap over the bar and grab hold of the minister, disappearing with him.

Harry noticed something odd on the floor where the two wizards had been standing just seconds before. It looked to be sitting in a pool of blood, seemingly pouring from the object. He walked over and cautiously picked it up, realizing what it was.

He had in his hand the left middle finger of Pius Thicknesse.

"Oh, Harry, don't touch it!" Hermione shrieked.

Harry wrapped it in one of Aberforth's napkins and handed it to Hagrid as Hermione gagged loudly.

"Looks like Thicknesse gave us the finger," Ron muttered.

"I'm going back to the Great Hall," Harry announced for really no reason. He drained his butterbeer and headed out the door for the castle.

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_Oh, dear, this one is shorter. I'll try harder. Chapter 5 should be the longest one so far._


	4. Chapter 4 : The Girl

Harry walked back to the Great Hall to see four nearly empty tables. He could see the Malfoys still, this time with a platter of roasted chicken in front of them. He noticed Hannah Abbot with her parents, Professor Sprout comforting a still weeping Professor Trelawney, and a beautiful redhead sitting alone in the far corner of the Great Hall.

Harry breathed in deeply and strode past the remaining families to Ginny. He sat down next to her and wiped her tears away.

She sniffled. "Everyone's gone. They're all either dead or mourning the one's that are. Will we ever be happy again?"

"Oh, Ginny, of course we will. Just because Fred and Lupin and Dumbledore and Tonks and my parents and... Snape... and Moody are gone from the world doesn't mean they have to be gone from our memories. It doesn't mean we love them any less." Harry smiled.

Ginny sighed and rested her head against the wall. "What about us?"

"What do you mean?"

"Are we going to be together?"

"Do you want us to be together?"

"I-well-yes." She blushed as her ears turned that famous Weasley red.

Harry nodded and took her hand in his. "Ginny, you are amazing. When I was searching for Horcruxes with Ron and Hermione, you kept me going. Just the thought of you fighting back against the Death Eaters gave me the strength to make my way back here and defeat Voldemort once and for all."

Ginny cracked a little smile. She grabbed Harry and pulled him closer.

Their lips met.

Harry ran his hands through her silky orange hair. He placed his hand on her back ever so slightly and pulled her into a tight embrace.

They finally broke apart. Ginny stared into Harry's emerald eyes, trying to figure out what he was saying through them. Suddenly tears appeared in his eyes, blurring the gorgeous sea of green that Ginny had lost herself in. "I missed you," she told him quietly. "I didn't know when you'd be back, I wanted to write, but I thought the Ministry would intercept it, I didn't know if you were dead or alive!"

"I know. Me too. But I'm back now, and I promise I won't leave you again.

She teared up and hugged him tightly.

* * *

Harry and Ginny left the Great Hall and walked hand in hand to the Hog's Head. As they entered the pub, they heard a loud crash from above. "Stay here," he told Ginny.

He started up the stairs. When he made it to the top, he opened the door cautiously to find Aberforth unconscious with his head resting on the table. Hagrid had Pius pinned to the floor.

"Let me up, you bloody bastard!" Pius yelled.

"You'd like that, wouldn't yeh, yeh little–" Hagrid finally noticed Harry "–Harry! You're back!"

"Yeah. Where are the others?"

"They disapparated as soon as Ab and Thicknesse came back," Hagrid explained, struggling somewhat to keep the minister on the floor. "Ron led them, I think. Mentioned something about the Burrow."

"Thanks, Hagrid. How's Aberforth?"

"I'm takin' him to the Hospital Wing once I deal with the minister here."

"Okay." Harry turned to Thicknesse. "I understand your excitement, Minister. Having a vision as powerful as the one you had would probably have caused me to do something rash as well. But you have to realize one thing–I'm done. I'm done with Voldemort, I'm done with you Death Eater, and I'm done with people dying because I can't save them." Harry began walking out the door. "Goodbye, Minister. Hagrid, make sure he gets to Azkaban."

"Yeah," Hagrid muttered back.

Harry walked down the stairs to rejoin Ginny as they headed down to the Three Broomsticks. The second they walked in the door, Rosmerta apparated into the dining area. "Oh, hello."

"Hello Rosmerta. Did you get through the battle okay?"

"Actually, I disapparated about an hour in. I could only keep the place barricaded for so long, you know." She gestured at the overturned tables, flipped chairs, and broken plates that littered the floor.

"It's good that you did. We'll see you later, Rosmerta."

"Where are you two going?"

"My house," Ginny said. "Bye, Rosmerta."

They disapparated.

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_Again, Chapter 5 will be longer._


	5. Chapter 5 : The Burrow

After three or four seconds of the feeling that their bodies were being squeezed and squished by invisible hands, Harry and Ginny could see the Burrow. They trekked across the swampy land that surrounded the Weasley abode, and knocked on the door. The minute it was open, Harry was tackled.

Hermione was on top of Harry. "We thought you had gone back to the Hog's Head and that the minister had tried to kill you!"

"She thought that," Ron argued. "The rest of us knew that git wouldn't stand a chance against you two."

"Thanks," Harry said, somewhat sarcastically in Ron's direction, and a bit meaningfully in Hermione's. "Um, Hermione?"

"Yeah?"

"Would you mind getting off me?"

"Oh!" Hermione stood up, helping Harry off the ground. "So, what happened after we left?"

"Well," Ginny started to explain, "Ab was unconscious when we got there, but he'll be fine, and Hagrid is currently escorting the 'minister' to Azkaban."

"That man is a bloody lunatic," Ron said.

"Agreed," said a voice from behind the door. It was Mrs. Weasley.

"Mrs. Weasley!" Harry exclaimed.

"Mum!" Ginny said at the same time.

They both rushed forward and hugged the plump, red-headed woman. "Where's dad?" Ginny asked.

"Your father is at the Ministry, starting the clean up of everything You-Know-Who caused. Anyway, I'm not the one you should be hugging," She said to them. They pulled away as she jerked her head towards the living room, in which sat George, who was staring sadly out the window.

Ginny walked over to him slowly and sat down beside him on the rugged couch. George started crying. Ginny immediately wrapped her arms around him and squeezed him tightly.

"He's gone, Ginny. Forever." George was practically sobbing.

"No. Not forever." She glanced quickly at Harry, managing a small smile. He grinned in return. "He'll always be a part of you."

George sniffed and leaned into his sister, letting her support him.

Ron, Hermione, and Harry went upstairs to Ron's bedroom, where he hadn't slept in months.

"This is so weird," he mumbled as he made his way over the threshold.

He and Hermione took seats on the bed, Harry on the floor.

"So," Hermione started, "who is this new 'dark wizard?'"

"I bet it's Draco," Ron growled.

"Lay off, Ron. We don't know that for sure," Hermione argued.

"Why are you defending him? Don't you remember how awful he is?"

"_Was_, and you just don't like the fact that he's trying to make up for everything he's done."

"Don't make this about me–"

"Guys! Shut it! We should figure this out. One of Voldemort's followers is out there, probably planning to kill Harry. Who knows who it might be?"

A crash came from below.

"What was that?" Hermione asked.

They heard a scream.

"Was that your mum?" Harry asked Ron.

Ron looked at Harry and Hermione and then bolted out the door and down the stairs. The other two followed suit.

As they made it downstairs, they saw a hooded figure in the doorway. Molly, Ginny, and George were all backed against the far wall, staring in horror. The figure lifted its hood.

"I don't want to do this," Malfoy said. "I feel like there's something, or someone, controlling me. But I can't resist…" He pointed his wand at Harry.

"_Expelliarmus_! _Stupefy_!" Malfoy's wand was whipped from his hand and he was blasted through the doorway into a puddle. Harry looked around the room to find Hermione with her wand shaking in her hand. He ran over and hugged her. For some reason, he had a feeling of awkwardness when he pulled away.

Ron had scrambled to find his wand and run to Malfoy. "I swear to God, if you ever come anywhere near me or my family ever again, I _will_ kill you, and it will be much more gruesome than when Harry killed Voldemort," he threatened.

"No need to worry about that, I'm only after Potter," Malfoy growled, gasping for breath. "Gah! Why am I saying that? Weasley, you have to believe me–I can't control myself. This isn't me!"

"So who is it, then?" Ron questioned him impatiently.

"I don't know! One of the death eaters, my father, maybe the minister?"

"Okay, well, you'll have to stay locked up somewhere so you don't 'accidentally' kill my best friend. Mum, we should put him in the basement."

They dragged Malfoy back into the house and down to the basement. Molly enchanted the room so Malfoy wouldn't be able to disapparate. "That should do it."

"What was he talking about when he said he thought something was controlling him?" Ginny asked.

"Hey-" Ron came running in from outside. "-I found these out where he hit the ground." He held out some foreign-looking rocks. "I've never seen rocks like these around here."

Harry recognized them immediately. "They're from the cave where Voldemort hid the locket.

"Potter, I'm going to kill you…" Malfoy was pounding on the basement door frantically.

"Bloody hell, Malfoy, SHUT UP," Ron bellowed.

They heard whimpering from behind the door. "Help… me…" Malfoy slid down the door and landed on the ground with a thump. He started sobbing.

Ron looked at Harry. "We need to help him," Harry said.

Ron grimaced and began to protest. "C'mon-"

"No. We have to. If not for him, then for the rest of the world. We can't have another Voldemort-"

Another scream from the basement. "-running around rampant…" Harry paused. "Hang on…"

"POTTER!" Malfoy was heard again through the door. "Ughh…" He groaned.

"What are you getting at?" Ron questioned.

"Wait," Harry shushed him. He waited until the cries from the basement subsided,

then said, "Voldemort."

"AAGGHHHH! POTTER… Ughhh…"

"It's the name. It's still taboo or something," Harry explained to the group.

"How?" Hermione asked. "Isn't it just a name since Vo-"

"Ahem!" Harry interrupted her before she said it again.

"Right. Isn't it just any other name now that he's dead?"

"I don't think so. Spells can last after the caster dies, can't they?"

"Yeah, spells have, y'know, lives of their own, or something like that," Ron explained, much to the surprise of everyone, especially Hermione. "Oh, c'mon, I know stuff."

"Well, as brilliant as it is that you know stuff, Ron, that still doesn't explain why this is happening to Malfoy."

"I bet it was Lucius," Ginny said, fuming with rage. "I wouldn't put it past the bastard."

"Well, wait a second, where are those rocks Ron found?" Harry asked.

Ron handed them over.

"These must have something to do with Malfoy's 'urges,' or whatever they are. We should see if we can talk to McGonagall," Harry suggested.

"Back to Hogwarts we go," Ron muttered.

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_Finally! So I have a goal of 1,000 words for each chapter, starting now._


End file.
